Response to Leviticus

[Contemporary Protestant]

I have been reading the bible, as I said I would, and came upon a passage (Leviticus 20, and 18) Y'all had mentioned those to me and I had no response but now I do

http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblical_evidence/leviticus.html

This is a pro-gay source backing up what I'm saying

The chapters that say it is necessary to kill gays, was in a section about separating from pagan cults, not homosexuality in general, I think that is a more than adequate explanation, what are your thoughts?

[stromboli]

Good for you. Now tell this to the fundies in Uganda persecuting gays and all the fundies everywhere else. Context is wonderful, but we aren't the ones doing the persecuting.

[The Skeletal Atheist]

Good for you. Now tell this to the fundies in Uganda persecuting gays and all the fundies everywhere else. Context is wonderful, but we aren't the ones doing the persecuting.

That being said he isn't doing the persecuting either. That being said killing other people for following pagan ways doesn't strike me as good either.

[Contemporary Protestant]

If you consider how awful some of the pagan rituals are (such as Molech) it becomes clearer as to why it was so frowned upon

[Bibliofagus]

There are more commandments in that piece of Leviticus. Are these suddenly okay to break as well?

[aitm]

I have been reading the bible, as I said I would, and came upon a passage (Leviticus 20, and 18) Y'all had mentioned those to me and I had no response but now I do

http://www.wouldjesusdiscriminate.org/biblical_evidence/leviticus.html

This is a pro-gay source backing up what I'm saying

The chapters that say it is necessary to kill gays, was in a section about separating from pagan cults, not homosexuality in general, I think that is a more than adequate explanation, what are your thoughts?

I say, give people embarrassed about something their religion says and they will find a way to make it sound that it does not mean that at all. Bullshit. What? It took some gay christian 2000 years to think up an excuse why he should feel better about being gay and that jebus really loves him after all? What a bunch of self-serving fuckery.

[stromboli]

Right. But the author's assumption of "taken in context" might be shcolarly but still unproven. The article has an obvious bias going in, just from the source, and is designed to prove a point and is directed to that end. It still winds up being an opinion. And further, application is the point. Regardless of the accuracy of this article, in application it is against gays of today and not heathens back then.

And there is another problem with the article. The assumption of Christianity is that the Jews encountered Canaan after the Exodus and were aghast at what they found.  Except that didn't happen. Exodus is a complete myth. The Jews were themselves Canaanites. Judaism morphed from a religion that believed in multiple gods to a monotheistic religion. So taken in that context there is doubt on the accuracy of the article's conclusion.

http://thechurchoftruth.wordpress.com/95-2/

[the_antithesis]

The chapters that say it is necessary to kill gays, was in a section about separating from pagan cults, not homosexuality in general, I think that is a more than adequate explanation, what are your thoughts?

Get your fellow christians to stop discriminating against homosexuals first, then we'll care.

[Contemporary Protestant]

I'm merely answering a question, I gave my word, that I would return with an answer as to why Leviticus calls for such an action

This is the best answer, I have found as of now

[aitm]

I'm merely answering a question, I gave my word, that I would return with an answer as to why Leviticus calls for such an action

This is the best answer, I have found as of now

To you it appears an "answer". To the rational, reasonable and common sensible its a cheap excuse. Nothing more than an excuse. When you have to hunt for excuses to make your religion more palatable, your religion is pretty suspect wouldn't you think?

[Johan]

I'm merely answering a question, I gave my word, that I would return with an answer as to why Leviticus calls for such an action

This is the best answer, I have found as of now

I didn't know the bible was a menu and you could just pick and choose which parts you want to follow.

[josephpalazzo]

I didn't know the bible was a menu and you could just pick and choose which parts you want to follow.

Who said that the bible was God's words, cemented for all eternity... oh wait,

[Contemporary Protestant]

I don't see how I'm picking and choosing, there was a verse that was brought into question (on the morality thread), I said I would return with a better response, and I did

Leviticus 20:13 is more about pagan fertility rituals and less about homophobia, I was addressing that specific verse, not making a statement or a generalization, The resource backing up my factoid is trying to make a statement

[Moralnihilist]

Several things:
1. You are the first theist that has come here said something and actually done what they said they would, that moves you up a notch in my view. Might not mean much to most, but good on you for being truthful.

2. Although the practice of homosexuality in the Canaanite(jewish) temples was a practice, it was nowhere near prevalent.

3. Being that the article linked is not a primary source, nor a secondary source, but a tertiary source(quoting the secondary source as gospel truth) and on a biblical website it does make one wonder if there is some apologetics going on here.

4. And here is where I get a bit mean(sorry) but bigots and religious fanatics still use those lines to persecute homosexuals. Regardless of the supposed intent of the writers of the bible they are still used to spread hate and intolerance.

#4 Begs the question "If god was all knowing, all loving, and all forgiving why did he allow something that he knew would be used for such vile purposes into the book that supposedly that is divinely inspired?"  Also what happened to "judge not lest ye be judged"? The bible is full of inconsistencies like this that bring doubt into the books validity. Why not simply "divinely inspire" the pope(or whoever) to come out with an addendum to the bible that simply says "Don't worry about anybody but you I'll deal with those that have displeased me when they die."? Why is a supposedly loving creator allowing his words to be used to spread hate and discontent?

[Contemporary Protestant]

Well I don't see the existence of homophobia as a failure on God's part because there are people who are not homophobic and do nothing. I blame the apathetic masses for the world's problems. I don't go to rallies or protests but I at least vocalize my opinion, especially to those who disagree. We have been given the resources to make change but as a whole, humanity fails to make change that matters